Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.
1. A hybrid touch button, including: a touch display unit having a touch display area; a mechanical band switch having a plurality of conductive contacts; and a single control unit, having a power interface for coupling with a power source, a first interface coupled with the touch display area, a second interface coupled with the plurality of conductive contacts, and an output interface, wherein the single control unit derives first input information from the first interface coupled with the touch display area and second input information from the second interface coupled with the plurality of conductive contacts of the mechanical band switch, and generates at least one output control signal to the output interface to configure an output configuration of the output interface suitable for controlling at least one external object according to the first input information and the second input information, the output configuration including determining an electrical conduction state between at least two pins of the output interface or providing at least one digital activating signal via at least two pins of the output interface; wherein the single control unit is programmed to enable the touch display unit and the mechanical band switch to be used for a hybrid operation, the hybrid operation including a rotation operation and a touch (or hover) operation, the mechanical band switch being used for the rotation operation and the touch display unit being used for the touch (or hover) operation, the rotation operation being used to choose a function option, and the touch (or hover) operation being used to activate the function option.
A hybrid touch button combines a touch display (with a touch-sensitive area) and a mechanical band switch (with multiple electrical contacts) managed by a single control unit. The control unit receives input from both the touch display and the band switch. Based on these inputs, the control unit generates an output signal to control an external device. The output signal can be an electrical connection between pins or a digital signal. The control unit is programmed for hybrid operation: the band switch handles rotation for function selection, and the touch display handles touch or hover for activation.
2. The hybrid touch button of claim 1 , wherein the touch display unit includes a display layer and a touch sensing layer, the display layer being selected from a group consisting of a liquid crystal display layer, an organic light emitting diode display layer, a polymer light emitting diode display layer, and an electronic paper display layer, and the touch sensing layer being glued to or integrated with the display layer.
The hybrid touch button from the previous description uses a touch display comprised of a display layer and a touch sensing layer. The display layer can be a liquid crystal display (LCD), organic light emitting diode (OLED), polymer light emitting diode (PLED), or electronic paper display. The touch sensing layer is either glued to or integrated with the display layer. This combination allows the button to present visual information and receive touch input for device control.
3. The hybrid touch button of claim 1 , further including at least one switch, by which at least one contact of the plurality of conductive contacts can be connected to the output interface when the power source is disrupted.
The hybrid touch button described earlier also incorporates a failsafe. It includes at least one additional physical switch that directly connects one or more contacts of the mechanical band switch to the output interface. This provides an alternative control path if the main power source is interrupted, ensuring basic functionality even when the primary system is offline.
4. The hybrid touch button of claim 1 , further including at least one manual switch located on an exterior wall of the mechanical band switch, the at least one manual switch selectively connecting at least one contact of the plurality of conductive contacts and the output interface.
The hybrid touch button described earlier features manual override switches. At least one physical switch is located on the outside of the mechanical band switch. This switch allows users to directly connect one or more of the band switch's electrical contacts to the output interface. This provides a secondary method of control independent of the primary control unit's logic.
5. The hybrid touch button of claim 1 , further including an auxiliary capacitor circuit for isolating a display circuit of the touch display unit and supplying power to the display circuit to maintain a display state when the single control unit performs a touch detection procedure, wherein the touch detection procedure is selected from a group consisting of a self-capacitive touch detection procedure, a mutual-capacitive touch detection procedure, and a hybrid-signal touch detection procedure.
The hybrid touch button from the first description incorporates a power management feature. It includes an auxiliary capacitor circuit that isolates and provides power to the touch display's circuitry during touch detection. This allows the display to maintain its state while the control unit performs touch sensing (self-capacitive, mutual-capacitive, or hybrid-signal).
6. A hybrid touch button, including: a touch display unit having a touch display area; a mechanical band switch having a plurality of conductive contacts; and a single control unit, having a power interface for coupling with a power source, a first interface coupled with the touch display area, a second interface coupled with the plurality of conductive contacts, and an output interface, wherein the single control unit derives first input information from the first interface coupled with the touch display area and second input information from the second interface coupled with the plurality of conductive contacts of the mechanical band switch, and generates at least one output control signal to the output interface to configure an output configuration of the output interface suitable for controlling at least one external object according to the first input information and the second input information, the output configuration including determining an electrical conduction state between at least two pins of the output interface or providing at least one digital activating signal via at least two pins of the output interface; wherein the mechanical band switch is combined with a pushbutton switch or a rocker switch, the single control unit is programmed to enable the touch display unit, the mechanical band switch and the pushbutton switch (or the rocker switch) to be used for a hybrid operation, the hybrid operation including a rotation operation, a press operation, and a touch (or hover) operation, the mechanical band switch being used for the rotation operation, the pushbutton switch (or the rocker switch) being used for the press operation, and the touch display unit being used for the touch (or hover) operation; and wherein the rotation operation is used to choose a function option, and the touch (or hover) operation is used to activate the function option; or the touch (or hover) operation is used to choose a function option, and the press operation is used to activate the function option; or both the rotation operation and the touch (or hover) operation are used to choose a function option, and the press operation is used to activate the function option.
A hybrid touch button combines a touch display and a mechanical band switch (with multiple electrical contacts) managed by a single control unit. The control unit receives input from both. Based on these inputs, the control unit generates an output signal to control an external device. The output signal can be an electrical connection between pins or a digital signal. The mechanical band switch is combined with a push-button or rocker switch. The control unit is programmed for hybrid operation using the touch display, mechanical band switch and the push-button or rocker switch. The band switch handles rotation, the push-button or rocker switch handles pressing, and the touch display handles touch or hover. Rotation or touch/hover chooses a function, and the button press activates it.
7. A hybrid touch module, including: a plurality of hybrid touch buttons, each having a touch display unit and a mechanical band switch, wherein the touch display unit has a touch display area, and the mechanical band switch has a plurality of conductive contacts; a single control unit coupled with the plurality of hybrid touch buttons, having a power interface for coupling with a power source, a first interface for driving the touch display area of each of the plurality of hybrid touch buttons, a second interface coupled with the plurality of conductive contacts of the mechanical band switch of each of the plurality of hybrid touch buttons, and an output interface, wherein the single control unit derives first input information from the first interface coupled with the touch display area of each of the plurality of hybrid touch buttons and second input information from the second interface coupled with the plurality of conductive contacts of the mechanical band switch of each of the plurality of hybrid touch buttons, and generates at least one output control signal to the output interface to configure an output configuration of the output interface according to the first input information and the second input information, the output configuration including determining an electrical conduction state between at least two pins of the output interface or providing at least one digital activating signal via at least two pins of the output interface; and a plurality of objects coupled with the output interface of the single control unit and controlled by the output configuration of the output interface; wherein the single control unit is programmed to enable the touch display unit and the mechanical band switch to be used for a hybrid operation, the hybrid operation including a rotation operation and a touch (or hover) operation, the mechanical band switch being used for the rotation operation and the touch display unit being used for the touch (or hover) operation, the rotation operation being used to choose a function option, and the touch (or hover) operation being used to activate the function option.
A hybrid touch module consists of multiple hybrid touch buttons, each combining a touch display and a mechanical band switch. A single control unit manages all buttons, receiving input from each touch display and band switch. Based on these combined inputs, the control unit generates an output signal to control multiple external objects connected to its output interface. The output signal can be an electrical connection or a digital signal. The control unit is programmed for hybrid operation: the band switches handle rotation for function selection, and the touch displays handle touch or hover for activation.
8. A hybrid touch button, comprising: a touch display unit having a touch display area; a mechanical band switch having a plurality of conductive contacts; and a single control unit, having a power interface for coupling with a power source, a first interface coupled with the touch display area, a second interface coupled with the plurality of conductive contacts, and an output interface, wherein the single control unit derives first input information from the first interface coupled with the touch display area and second input information from the second interface coupled with the plurality of conductive contacts of the mechanical band switch, and generates at least one output control signal to the output interface to configure an output configuration of the output interface suitable for controlling at least one external object according to the first input information and the second input information, the output configuration including determining an electrical conduction state between at least two pins of the output interface or providing at least one digital activating signal via at least two pins of the output interface; wherein the touch display unit includes a display layer and a touch sensing layer, the display layer being selected from a group consisting of a liquid crystal display layer, an organic light emitting diode display layer, a polymer light emitting diode display layer, and an electronic paper display layer, and the touch sensing layer being embedded in the display layer or implemented by display electrodes of the display layer; wherein the single control unit is programmed to enable the touch display unit and the mechanical band switch to be used for a hybrid operation, the hybrid operation including a rotation operation and a touch (or hover) operation, the mechanical band switch being used for the rotation operation and the touch display unit being used for the touch (or hover) operation, the rotation operation being used to choose a function option, and the touch (or hover) operation being used to activate the function option.
A hybrid touch button combines a touch display (with a touch-sensitive area) and a mechanical band switch (with multiple electrical contacts) managed by a single control unit. The control unit receives input from both the touch display and the band switch. Based on these inputs, the control unit generates an output signal to control an external device. The output signal can be an electrical connection between pins or a digital signal. The touch display includes a display layer (LCD, OLED, PLED, or e-paper) and a touch-sensing layer. The touch-sensing layer is embedded in, or implemented by, the display electrodes. The band switch rotation chooses a function, and touch/hover activates it.
9. The hybrid touch button of claim 8 , further including at least one manual switch located on an exterior wall of the mechanical band switch, the at least one manual switch selectively connecting at least one contact of the plurality of conductive contacts and the output interface.
The hybrid touch button described earlier features manual override switches. At least one physical switch is located on the outside of the mechanical band switch. This switch allows users to directly connect one or more of the band switch's electrical contacts to the output interface. This provides a secondary method of control independent of the primary control unit's logic, in addition to the functionality already described in the prior description regarding the touch display unit having a touch display area; a mechanical band switch having a plurality of conductive contacts; and a single control unit, having a power interface for coupling with a power source, a first interface coupled with the touch display area, a second interface coupled with the plurality of conductive contacts, and an output interface.
10. The hybrid touch button of claim 8 , wherein the mechanical band switch is selected from a group consisting of a pushbutton switch, a rocker switch, a band switch, and any combination thereof.
The hybrid touch button from the earlier description includes a mechanical band switch. This band switch is selected from the group consisting of a push-button switch, a rocker switch, a band switch, or any combination thereof. Functionality from the first description, includes the touch display unit having a touch display area; a mechanical band switch having a plurality of conductive contacts; and a single control unit, having a power interface for coupling with a power source, a first interface coupled with the touch display area, a second interface coupled with the plurality of conductive contacts, and an output interface.
11. The hybrid touch button of claim 8 , further including at least one switch, by which at least one contact of the plurality of conductive contacts can be connected to the output interface when the power source is disrupted.
The hybrid touch button described earlier also incorporates a failsafe. It includes at least one additional physical switch that directly connects one or more contacts of the mechanical band switch to the output interface. This provides an alternative control path if the main power source is interrupted, ensuring basic functionality even when the primary system is offline. This is in addition to the touch display unit having a touch display area; a mechanical band switch having a plurality of conductive contacts; and a single control unit, having a power interface for coupling with a power source, a first interface coupled with the touch display area, a second interface coupled with the plurality of conductive contacts, and an output interface.
12. The hybrid touch button of claim 8 , further including an auxiliary capacitor circuit for isolating a display circuit of the touch display unit and supplying power to the display circuit to maintain a display state when the single control unit performs a touch detection procedure, wherein the touch detection procedure is selected from a group consisting of a self-capacitive touch detection procedure, a mutual-capacitive touch detection procedure, and a hybrid-signal touch detection procedure.
The hybrid touch button from an earlier description incorporates a power management feature. It includes an auxiliary capacitor circuit that isolates and provides power to the touch display's circuitry during touch detection. This allows the display to maintain its state while the control unit performs touch sensing (self-capacitive, mutual-capacitive, or hybrid-signal). The core touch button includes touch display unit with touch area, a mechanical band switch, and a single control unit.
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October 10, 2017
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